Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for controlling a user interface, and more particularly to a mobile device and a computer program and method for controlling a user interface of a mobile device by detecting a user's gesture applied to the mobile device.
Description of the Related Art
There exist many kinds of mobile devices such as a mobile phone, an MP3 player, a PMP (portable multimedia player), a computer notebook, a PDA etc. These devices have limited user interfaces for users to input or output data due to the feature of portability. These mobile devices are usually not used in a fixed place but used while the user is moving with the devices. Also, the size of the mobile device is relatively small.
As such, it is improper to employ general I/O devices in these mobile devices which are devised for fixed devices such as a QWERTY key board, a mouse or a remote control which is devised for a desktop computer, large size TV, etc.
As such, different kinds of user interfaces were devised and widely used for the mobile devices such as a touch pad, a touch screen, a navigation pad, etc.
Nevertheless, the mobile devices are often still limited for users to input and output data and users feel that they can be more user-friendly and convenient to use.
Moreover, in case of mobile phones, tendency is toward adding many kinds of annexed functions to mobile phones such as an MP3 player, a camera, an internet browser, an image viewer, a video player, etc.
Mobile device users often need to use a keyboard especially when the user is browsing an internet webpage through the mobile device to input keywords for a search or password.
In case of a mobile device which substitutes a touch screen for physical buttons such as a full touch screen phone which has a large screen and does not have physical number buttons, if the user needs to input text, he needs to go through a few or more steps by manipulating the menu to have the virtual number buttons show up.
This causes much convenience to the users of the mobile devices. Advanced user interfaces for providing users with easy access to control mobile devices are required.